IUML Emerges Kingmaker As Congress-Led UDF Sweeps Kerala

The United Democratic Front (UDF) has reasserted itself as a formidable political force in Kerala, sweeping the 2026 Assembly elections with a clear and decisive mandate, winning around 90 seats. In the 140-seat Assembly, 71 is the majority mark. Congress in Kerala has won 63 seats, and with IUML’s consistent performance, the UDF alliance is in a position to form the government comfortably.

The IUML delivered a strong performance, winning 22 of the 27 constituencies it contested. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has continued to assert itself as one of the most consistent and influential regional forces in Kerala’s electoral landscape, operating within the United Democratic Front (UDF).The victories reflect both the party’s seasoned leadership and its emerging faces. Senior leader P. K. Kunhalikutty, along with leaders such as T. P. Ashraf Ali, P. K. Basheer, V. Rahimtulla, and young leader Fathima Thahiliya, emerged victorious.

Kunhalikutty secured the Malappuram seat with a historic margin of more than 85,000 votes—one of the highest in the state. Fathima Thahiliya, a young leader of the Indian Union Muslim League, won from the Perambra Assembly constituency in Kozhikode district, marking a significant milestone as the party’s first woman MLA. She defeated senior leader T. P. Ramakrishnan—a prominent Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, LDF convenor and former Labour Minister—by a margin of 5,087 votes in what was seen as a closely fought and high-profile contest.

Kunhalikutty attributed this success to “UDF teamwork” while speaking to Malayalam news channels. Rooted largely in the Malabar region, the party draws its core support from the Muslim community, but has also built a reputation for pragmatic coalition politics and organisational discipline.Over successive Assembly elections, the IUML has demonstrated a high strike rate, often winning a majority of the seats it contests. Its strongholds—such as Malappuram, Ponnani, and parts of Kozhikode and Kannur—continue to deliver stable mandates, making the IUML a crucial vote aggregator in elections against the Left Democratic Front (LDF).

What distinguishes the IUML is not just its electoral performance, but also its ability to convert community-based support into broader political relevance. The party has historically played a key role in governance when the UDF is in power, holding important ministerial portfolios and influencing policy decisions, especially in education, minority welfare, and infrastructure in northern Kerala.

Despite challenges, the IUML’s disciplined cadre base, welfare networks, and strategic alliance-building have ensured its continued relevance. In Kerala’s bipolar political landscape, the party remains a decisive force—often acting as a kingmaker—with an almost 80% strike rate in terms of seat conversion that can tilt the balance of power in favour of the UDF.

The IUML wins an average of 18–20 seats in every Assembly election out of an average of 25 seats it contests. Twenty out of 25 seats translate to a strike rate of 80%, whereas Congress’s strike rate is less than 50%.In the 2016 Kerala Assembly elections, Congress won 22 of the 87 seats it contested, while the IUML won 18 of the 24 seats it fought. Together, they accounted for 40 seats, far from the majority mark of 71. Yet, the IUML’s strong strike rate has consistently strengthened the UDF, except for a massive defeat in 2006. The IUML has been successful in retaining its stronghold constituencies, especially in the Muslim-majority Malappuram district, which has 16 Assembly constituencies.